SANTA MARIA — The Righetti High School Marimba Band & Ballet Folklórico will present its 39th annual “Big Show” performance at 7: 30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19 at Santa María High School’s Ethel Pope Auditorium, 901 S. Broadway, Santa María.
The “Big Show” is a two-and-a-half-hour program featuring the music and dances of Righetti High School’s Marimba Band and Ballet Folklórico. The program is festive and colorful, and is filled with a great variety of songs and dances reflecting the diverse world of Mexican and Latino music and folk dance. The “Big Show” is considered the group’s biggest and best program of the year and has gained recognition as one of the cultural highlights of the Santa María Valley.
This year’s Big Show program will feature:
- 5 Traditional Folk Dance Regions: Baja California Norte, Nuevo León, Jalisco, Veracruz and la Revolución.
- Traditional Mariachi-style songs.
- Música Tropical
- Latin Pop songs originally by Enrique Iglesias and Luis Fonsi
- Medleys of ’60 Rock Ballads popularized by Leo Dan and René y René
- Swing-infused Zoot Suit played by our band and danced by our folklórico
Tickets can be purchased at the Student Business Offices at Righetti, Pioneer Valley, and Santa María High Schools. Advance sale tickets are priced at $10 for all age groups. Tickets may also be purchased at the door before each show for $12.
About the Righetti High School Marimba Band & Ballet Folklórico: allows students from all backgrounds to experience and understand music and dance as elements of Mexican heritage, giving Chicano students, in particular, a special opportunity to learn about, identify with, and express pride in their culture and to interact with Chicanos and Latinos on campus. Every year our group averages 20 performances for local schools, civic organizations and community events, exposing our audiences to the rich and vibrant world of Mexican folk dance and both traditional and contemporary música latina, thereby fostering an appreciation and pride in Mexican tradition and culture.
The group was organized in 1975 by Ricardo Gabaldón, Sr. as the cornerstone of Righetti’s Bilingual-Bicultural Program. Upon his retirement in 2014, “Mr. G.” proudly handed over the reigns of the group to his son, Ricardo A. Gabaldón (Jr.), who, in addition to directing the group, teaches Spanish at Righetti High School.
The group consists of 40 talented musicians and dancers. The band’s repertoire emphasizes the richness and variety of Mexican and Latino musical styles, from traditionalMariachi favorites, upbeat Cumbias, Pop Latino, Rock n’ Español, popular hits by contemporary Chicano and Latino musicians, and a variety of other Latin, Salsa, and Tropical rhythms. The group emphasizes the beauty and value of preserving traditional Mexican and Latino music and dance, and begins each show with Las Gaviotas, the very first song learned by the first group back in 1975.
The Ballet Folklórico performs dances from several of Mexico’s most popular regions, including the Norteño states of Chihuahua, Nuevo León and Baja California Norte. Especially popular are dances from the states of Sinaloa, Veracruz, Nayarit, and Jalisco, each renowned for their brilliant costumes, vibrant and inspirational music, and for the gaiety and joy that they reflect. Many of the songs and dances have been passed on from one group to the next. The general success of the dance group has been that lead students assume the responsibility of teaching the group, sharing their steps and performance techniques with incoming group members. Another key is that a few extraordinary alumni members play an extra special role, volunteering their time to teach the dances and keep these wonderful traditions alive.
Many of the group’s performances are held for Central Coast elementary schools, providing the students with an opportunity to see young teens performing music and dances portraying the beauty and joy of Mexican culture, and to observe the group’s members as positive role models. Performances such as these are essential to the development of positive self-esteem among all youth, and are also an important method of promoting cross-cultural understanding and respect.
Since 1975, the Marimba Band and Ballet Folklórico has given over 1,500 performances for local schools, civic organizations, and community groups throughout the Central Coast. The group has also done performing tours to Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1982, the group was invited to perform in Mexico City by Mexico’s Secretary of Education. The group returned in 1984 for performances in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. The group has also performed at Disneyland and the Queen Mary. Special honors include participating in the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in San Francisco in 1995; helping Santa María win “All-America City” honors in Mobile, Alabama in 1998; representing Santa Barbara County at the 1999 Inauguration Celebration of Governor-elect Gray Davis; and performing for talk show hostess, Cristina Sarálegui in 2005. The Ballet Folklórico has also performed at the Santa Barbara Mariachi Festival on three occasions since 2007 with headliners Beatriz Adriana, Rocío Dúrcal, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán and many others.
Throughout its rich 40-year history, the Righetti High School Marimba Band and Ballet Folklórico has distinguished itself by developing a tradition of quality and excellence in presenting Mexican folk dances and music. We sincerely appreciate your continued interest in and support of our group. ¡Muchísimas gracias!